Audi failed to score points at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday (6), with both Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hülkenberg forced into recovery drives after losing several positions at the start. The Brazilian finished 11th, one place ahead of his German teammate, as Audi narrowly missed out on the top 10 at Monza.
Audi had already expected Monza to be one of the toughest circuits of the season for its car. The long straights and high-speed nature of the track exposed the team’s deficit in outright power, making it difficult to defend or gain positions.
Allan McNish, Audi’s racing director, nevertheless considered the team’s performance solid given the circumstances.
“We knew Monza would be one of the most difficult circuits for our car, so finishing the race with both drivers just outside the points represents a solid performance. The starts complicated the situation for both Nico and Gabriel and, with that long run down to Turn 1, losing positions immediately meant we spent the whole race trying to recover ground,” McNish said.
Bortoleto started 10th after benefiting from Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s grid penalty, while Hülkenberg lined up 12th. The Brazilian had shown particularly strong pace in qualifying, narrowly missing out on Q3 despite Audi’s struggles on the straights. Bortoleto had described his qualifying result as better than expected.
The difficult race also ended Audi’s run of four consecutive Grands Prix with at least one driver scoring points. Hülkenberg had finished ninth in Hungary and eighth in the Netherlands before the team went scoreless at Monza. Hülkenberg had arrived at Monza targeting another top-10 finish.
McNish nevertheless praised the team’s execution throughout the race, particularly its strategy and pit stops.
“I believe everyone did a good job extracting the maximum possible today. Both drivers recovered well, the strategic decisions were right — especially the timing of the VSC for Nico — and the pit-stop crew delivered another excellent stop,” he said.
“The execution from the whole team was very good, and that’s something positive we take with us to Madrid,” McNish added.
The result leaves Audi eighth in the Constructors’ Championship with 16 points, five behind Haas and five ahead of Williams. The German manufacturer will now turn its attention to the Spanish Grand Prix and the new Madrid circuit.
Audi had already identified Monza as a particularly difficult test because of the demands placed on its power unit. The team made a gearbox adjustment for the weekend but did not introduce a major upgrade package. GRANDE PRÊMIO’s analysis of Friday at Monza highlighted Audi’s continuing straight-line performance deficit as one of the team’s main challenges at the circuit.
Despite the disappointment of leaving Italy without points, Bortoleto’s recovery to 11th continued a season in which the Brazilian has increasingly become an important part of Audi’s development process. The team has repeatedly praised his analytical approach and progression during his second F1 campaign. Audi has highlighted Bortoleto’s evolution and “massive potential”.
Formula 1 now heads to Madrid for the Spanish Grand Prix from September 11-13. The race will be the first F1 event at the new Madring circuit, with GRANDE PRÊMIO covering all the action from the 14th round of the 2026 season.
FAQ
Is Gabriel Bortoleto staying with Audi for the 2027 F1 season?
Yes. Bortoleto remains part of Audi’s long-term Formula 1 project and is under contract with the team as it develops its works operation. His progress in 2026 has also made him an increasingly important reference for the team’s car development.
What is Audi’s F1 engine for 2026?
Audi is competing with its own power unit in 2026, marking the manufacturer’s first season as a full works F1 team. The project is particularly significant because the new technical regulations introduced in 2026 brought major changes to power-unit architecture and energy deployment.
How is Audi performing in its first F1 season?
Audi sits eighth in the 2026 Constructors’ Championship after the Italian GP, with 16 points. The team has shown significant improvement during the season, including four consecutive races with points before Monza, but remains involved in a tightly packed midfield battle with Haas and Williams.
